500-year-old Quran returns to Topkapi Palace

By Musa Alcan

ISTANBUL (AA) – A 15th century Quran written by calligraphist Sukrullah Khalifah was returned to Istanbul's Topkapi Palace Museum by a collector on Thursday.

The Quran was written in 1494 in Istanbul and kept in Topkapi Palace Museum until 1964. When it was then transferred to Bursa Archaeology Museum, the Quran was disappeared.

It was rediscovered when calligraphist Ziya Aydin bought the Quran from a bibliophile several years ago.

The Quran’s new owners, brothers Ali Sami and Ahmet Aydin, decided to return the Quran to the museum after being reached by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus, according to the chairman of Topkapi Palace Museum, Mustafa Sabri Kucukasci who spoke to reporters.

“If this Quran hadn't been preserved in such a way by calligraphist Ziya Aydin, it would probably be displayed in any library of Europe. We thank the Aydin family so much,” Kucukasci added.